Negan's Rise - Deceptions Prequel
by EJ-StoryGirl
Summary: A.U - The prequel to: Deception. Negan will do anything to protect - His wife Lucille, and Melanie, the threats they face are no issue for the future leader of the Saviors. Rated M for later Chapters.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author Note:**_

 _ **This story takes place before the outbreak- It is the prequel to the story Deception and the events leading up to it. It focus on Negan and Lucille as well as my Original Character Melanie and their friendship as well as Negan's rise to protect them.**_

 ** _In this story Melanie is the niece of Rick and Lori - Lori has a sister named Emily that had a child with Abraham. Emily remarried after Abe left her ._**

 ** _Quiet before the Storm:_**

 _ **12 weeks before the outbreak.**_

"Hey Fun-Size." A booming voice called out.

Melanie looked up hearing her nickname from her substitute teacher, she flashed a smile and tied her brownish-red curly hair into a ponytail, she looked at him with her blue eyes to see him better. "Hey Ass." She said rolling her eyes and looking up at him. She knew he was trouble and didn't really care. He was her favorite teacher in this hell-hole, of a town and school. She couldn't wait to escape, the only thing she would really miss was her gym teacher - which was really odd considering he didn't like to talk to any students outside of school - or inside of school for that matter.

Negan let out a laugh and rolled his eyes and shot a look down at the shorty in front of him. "I know I'm an asshole. Thank you very much." He said giving her a wink and a grin, flashing all his teeth. He fixed his baseball cap and took a drink out his flask, and shoving it away in his jacket.

Melanie got up from the grass, she was sitting outside on the track after school. "What's on your plans?" She asked glancing up at him with her blue eyes, taking a sip from the flask

"Lu wants you over for dinner, and by dinner. I mean take out - Lu still can't cook worth a shit." He laughed, looked down at her, watching her move around on the grass. He held his hand out to help her up.

She didn't like going home and he knew that. She disliked her step-down of a stepdad, Edgar - who was mayor of Greenbridge, Virginia. Her mom got remarried when Melanie was only 4 about a year after her real dad left them to go start a new family. They had only been together for 3 months but figured they could make it work. Dear mother ended up popping out a little girl, about a few years later.

Melanie smiled slightly, and got up fixing her shirt, she had on a gun's n ' roses shirt and jeans with holes in it, along with tennis shoes. "Thanks!" She said perking up and hugging him slightly. She let go grabbed her bag and followed him to the parking lot.

Negan had a black 1996 harley davidson sportster, she ran her hand over it lightly and watched him get on. She smiled slightly biting her lip, nervous about it.

"Hop on fun-size." He chuckled slightly, and handed her a helmet. She smiled and hopped on, putting the helmet on. She held on tight, as he drove to his house.

"Hey! Lu baby." He Laughed as he got off the bike and headed into the house with Melanie. Melanie followed him inside and took off her shoes. She smiled leaning against the wall and fixed her hair up into a loose bun.

Lucille came downstairs and smiled hugging Melanie, going right past Negan. "Mel. I haven't seen you at the nursing home lately." She frowned looking Melanie over, and looked at her husband. "Don't you make her eat lunch at school? She's all skin and bones!" She snapped.

"Am I her daddy?" He retorted, rolled his eyes, " I can't shove a damn funnel in her mouth and make her eat shit, Lu." He laughed slightly.

Melanie smiled slightly, "Just not hungry lately." She shrugged

Lucille smiled. "I'm starving. What should we order for dinner?"

"When aren't you hungry Lu. You eat every 5 minutes." He let out a laugh.

Lu just shot him a dirty look and grabbed the huge stack of menus off the counter and sat down with Melanie on the sofa.

"I'm in the mood for General Tsao's Chicken - along with Chicken Lo Mein."

"Alright. Alright. Write down what you want I'll order." Mr. Travis smiled sitting back, he know what he already wants to order.

Lu figured out what she wanted to order, and wrote it down, Melanie did the same and sat back on the sofa as Lu looked through the list of movies that she could rent.

They all got their food and sat back on the sofa eating and watching movies. They spent the good part of the evening together. Lu looked over at Melanie seeing it was 11 PM. "You're parent's are going to be pissed you're gone this late."

Mel shrugged slightly, she didn't really care. "I dont give a crap." she said laying back on the sand and watching him. "Step-down and madam don't even notice I'm around half of the time." she sighed slightly. "I'm just the trash that got dragged into this new life when mom couldn't get rid of me after my dad left."

She said sighing and playing with a button on her shirt. "I just wish I could move away right now." She sighed. She had a year left before graduating.

Negan ran his hand through his hair and Lucille elbowed him and looked up at him. Negan cleared his throat and looked down at her. "You know. We have that apartment above the garage.. Lu loves having you here, and you're pretty good company.." He said pushing her slightly to snap her out of whatever though she currently was in. He grinned seeing her flash him a big grin. Lu smiled listening to them and sat up a bit. "Please move in with us Mel." She asked

"Really?" She said sitting up straight and looking at them both.

"Hell yeah we do. You pretty much live here anyway.." He smiled back at her, "It's small but that's fine for you since, well your short anyway." He laughed. Lu shoved him slightly and rolled her eyes.

"She's close my height!" Lu snapped giggling slightly.

Melanie rolled her eyes and smiled. "How much for rent?"

"For you….. 20 bucks a month, and maybe cook us, supper?" He smiled running his hand through Lu's black straight hair. "Lu can't cook worth a shit. Burns it all the fucking time." He laughed.

Melanie smiled pushing her fallen hair from her eyes. "Deal!" She said hugging them slightly. "Thank you, Both.." She said softly.

"One Thing - Stop calling me Mr. Travis.. Just call me Negan.. Hell you're on a first name basis with my wife - might as well be on that same basis with me." He said rubbing Lu's back as she stretched out more cuddling with him on the sofa.

Melanie smiled slightly. "Thank you Negan and Lu." she said, she looked up at him and pushed her bangs from her face. "For everything." She smiled and sat back.

Negan swiftly nodded and got up, holding out a hand to help Lu up, he didn't realize how small she was compared to Lulu was at least 5'8, to his tall stature. He was 6'5 and she was 5'2. Melanie smiled back at him. " Thank you." She stretching and sighing softly. She pushed her shoes on and cracked her neck.

"Anytime." He said getting in the truck. "Pack up your stuff, We will help you grab what you need tomorrow?" He said after dropping her off at her place, it was Friday. So it make good sense to come help her tomorrow before his shift at the dealership. "Do you work tomorrow at the nursing home?"

"Sounds great. I'll be up around 8." She nodded. "Yeah my shift is at 2 pm though. I work second shift. Lu is working with me also tomorrow. I'm glad, I can't stand the other nurse that works there.." She smiled.

Negan laughed "Well. She likes working with you also." He nodded "Fan-fucking-tastic fun-size." He said grinning, "See you then." He said taking off in his truck.

Melanie adjusted her backpack and went into the house of horrors..


	2. Chapter 2

_**Author Note:**_

 _ **This story takes place before the outbreak- It is the prequel to the story Deception and the events leading up to it. It focus on Negan and Lucille as well as my Original Character Melanie and their friendship as well as Negan's rise to protect them.**_

 ** _In this story Melanie is the niece of Rick and Lori - Lori has a sister named Emily that had a child with Abraham. Emily remarried after Abe left her ._**

 _ **12 weeks before the outbreak.**_

Her step-dad argued with her as soon as she walked in the door about being with her teacher outside of school and to not become some little slut. She got smacked across the face hard, twice before pushing him back hard enough he hit his face on the mirror in the hallway. She took off upstairs, Edgar grabbed her by the hair and pulled her back and down the stairs. Melanie fell down the stairs and hit her side hard and stomach. She passed out not remembering what happened after. Melanie woke up at the bottom of the steps, she was sore, and her side really hurt. She slowly got up.

Her mother and sister left for Atlanta last week, to go see her aunt and uncle. She couldn't go due to school and her job at the nursing home as a nurse aide. Her mom took her sister out of school in a heartbeat though to drag her down to Atlanta.

Melanie slowly got up, and took off out the front door. She walked slowly and painfully, she couldn't find her phone, it was probably on the floor at the house. Her nose was bleeding but she didn't care about stopping it right now. Her stomach really hurt along with her side. She was about 4 blocks away from Negan and Lu's house. It took her about an hour and a half to get to the house, she stopped and took a break on the bench. It must of been around 1 am when she got to the front door. She pressed on the door bell and leaned against the doorway using her weight to keep on the door bell.

"Holy Hell, Lay off the doorbell!" Negan roared, flicking on a light as he came stumbling down the stairs, and to the front door. He was in a white t-shirt and boxers. He wiped open the door, and his eyes went wide as he caught Mel and she was about to crumble to the floor.

"Holy Shit." He said wrapping her arm around him and carried her into the house.

"LU!" He bellowed and sat Melanie on the sofa. Lu came down the stairs, in a hurry- well her version of a hurry. She was pregnant and moving slow.

"Whats going on?" She asked coming into the living room, she was in shorts and a tank top, she stopped seeing Melanie. Lu rushed over to her.

"Hell if I should fucking know Lu." He snapped going over and shutting the door..

"He beat me." Was all that Melanie said. She pulled her shirt down seeing it ride up and then quickly moved her hands to her chest, her jaw tightened and she scrunched up her face, and started shaking hard. "It..hurts." She whispered slightly, trying to catch a breath. Negan and Lu knew the girl could handle her pain, she had a very high tolerance of it. Hell Negan seen her break 4 ribs and injured her hand in a fight at school last year. There had to be something wrong.

"Lu get her ass to the hospital." He said, looking at her, then at Melanie. "I'll meet you there soon." He said grabbing his jacket.

"W-where are you going?" Lu demanded helping Melanie up. "Come on honey. We need to get you looked at." She said softly, helping her up. Mel nodded and slowly walked to the car, holding onto her stomach.

"To find that bastard" Negan snapped and jumped on his bike and headed that house.

Melanie was taken to the hospital. Lu called on the way over and got her right in. Lu filled out the paperwork the best she could since Melanie kept drifting in and out of unconsciousness, when they arrived at the hospital, a nurse helped get Melanie inside.

Negan went up to the house and forced the door open, he walked to the stairs and hollered

"Knock-Knock, Shit Face!" He looked around, and started searching the house.

He found Edgar in his office, grabbing him by the collar, "You ever look her way. I will come find you and make you disappear."He shoved Edgar hard against the wall. "This is the last time you Hurt Melanie. If you come near her or even look in her direction - I will come back and fuck you up so bad you will regret crossing me!"

Negan punched him across the face sending him down on the floor.

"She's just a…. slut…. Anyway. Like mother like Daughter." Edgar groaned slightly and fell unconscious.

"Dick." Negan growled as he, got up and grabbed some of her clothes from the closet and her laptop from the desk and other crap, including her leather jacket, threw it in a bag he found and left, dropping the bag off at home before going to the hospital.

Lu came out of the waiting room, and seen Negan come into the ER waiting room. "She's staying overnight for observation... " Lu whispered sadly. "It's not the first time he hurt her."

Negan's eyes growing wide slightly and then narrowing them tightly, his jaw tightened and his fists curled up tightly..

"He's done it before?" He hissed, trying to control his shaking, he rubbed his sore hand, and started pacing in the waiting room.

Lu just nodded slightly, "She ended up admitting it while in the car."

Negan released his fists and ran his hand through his hair, and sighed out of frustration and anger. "What was the pain from?"

"He pulled her down the stairs, she hit it hard on the railing along with her side, and kicked her a lot in the stomach." Lu answered, softly, sitting down taking a drink of her water. "They did an ultrasound on her and she had a ruptured ovarian cysts along with some internal bleeding. They took her back in for surgery." She said softly.

Negan sat back and shook his head, taking everything he soaked in, "Well she isn't going back to that house."

"She has us. Thank god." She said poking Negan in the side and noticing his hands. "What did you do?" She asked worried.

"I agree." Negan stated firmly, ignoring his wife's question, he turned his hands over and ignored his bleeding knuckles..

.

They both stayed with her each taking turns watching over her along. Melanie was told everything that happened and how she would have to remain in the hospital for another day and then could be released.

 _ **10 Weeks before outbreak:**_

The following two weeks went by without a hitch. Melanie remained quiet and didn't really talk much. She was currently laying in her new bedroom, sleeping. She had a follow up appointment with her new Ob/Gyn some male doctor named Dr Carson, later that afternoon. She had mixed feelings about her family, and everything. She was trying to forgive and forget but it was hard. She was having a hard time with everything. She called to try and talk to her aunt an uncle but couldn't get a hold of them. She had sent them a letter a few weeks ago about what happened and wanted to talk to them and get some help outside of what Negan and Lu were doing for her.

Lucille was at her job at the nursing home, as a Nurse. She had to go on, she couldn't find anyone to cover for her. Negan was out in the garage working on his car. His mistress Allison came over thinking nobody was home, and surprised him as she hugged him from behind.

"It's been a while babe." She said kissing him hard.

Negan groaned and kissed her back, forgetting Melanie was in the house sleeping. "Lets go.." He smiled and pulled her into the house and down on the living room sofa.

Melanie woke up an hour later. She stumbled slightly walking out of her room and down the hallway to go use the bathroom. She caught herself before falling and stubbing her toe into the table in the hallway.. "Shit." She groaned slightly.

"Melanie?" Negan groaned as he quickly got up from the couch and put on his boxers. He saw Allison take off out the back door, and leave quickly..

"I'm….okay." She looked over at him, and seen him only in his boxers. "I...uhm…" She shook her head, and went into the bathroom. She came back out later and went back to bed for a while.

Melanie went outside that afternoon and wanted to avoid Negan, she began to work on Lu's garden for her, she heard a car pull up into the driveway.

"Melanie?"

Mel stopped and turned around. "Mom?" She frowned, she hadn't heard from her in three weeks.

"Why are you here? Edgar said you moved out.." She frowned back and looked her daughter over. "This doesn't look good for us."

"Go away." She sighed. "Edgar beat me so I left."

Emily laughed. "He would never do that. He doesn't hit me."

Melanie slowly got up. "He might not hit you - but he did hit me."

Emily reached out and slapped, Melanie across the face. "Don't be lying! He has been good to you."

Negan stepped outside, and watched them. "Get the hell out of my yard." He growled.

Emily looked at him. "So you are the one screwing my daughter?"

Melanie reached up and slapped her. "He hasn't done anything to me. He's a good guy unlike Edgar."

Emily rolled her eyes, and went to grab Melanie. "Get your ass home."

"I suggest you leave - Or I will call the police." Negan said taking a step in her direction, and stood in front of Melanie.

Emily glanced at him, then at Melanie. She looked back at Negan, then frowned, she turned around and left in her car.

Melanie sighed and grabbed the basket of veggies she just picked and walked inside into the kitchen. He went up and sat at the island watching her. "Doing alright?"

Melanie didn't look up and just shook her head. "Not really." She wiped her eyes and sighed. "She never believed me before, I'm not to surprised she didn't believe me this time."

Negan nodded and grabbed a cucumber. "Screw her. She's nuts." He started peeling it and eating it with salt and pepper. "How long had this shit been going on?" He was pissed anyone would treat someone that way.

"Yeah.." Melanie was cutting up the bell peppers and sighed. "For a while. Got worse as I got older." She glanced up at the clock, it was close to 6 PM and Lu wasn't home yet - her shift ended hours ago. "Lu should have been home a while ago.." She frowned, changing the subject..

"Probably stopped at the store to grab some stuff." He smiled and handed her a sliced up cucumber.

Melanie sighed and nodded,"Probably.. Thanks." She smiled and ate it. she walked

Melanie threw the the steaks on the cast iron pan with butter and started cooking it with the peppers and spices. She sent Lu a text to tell her supper was ready, and set the table.

Lucille came home and was quiet. They slowly started eating, and Lucille broke down crying.

"Lu?" Melanie asked sitting down with her.

Negan frowned seeing her cry. "What is wrong Lu?" He said sitting down.

"My…...My cancer is back, it's spread everywhere." She said looking at the ground. "Doctor said it's a more severe form this time…"

Negan covered his face with his hands and shook his head. Melanie wrapped her arms around Lu and hugged her tightly. "I'm so sorry Lu.." She said letting the tears fall..


End file.
